UPSC: SHANGHAI COOPERATION ORGANISATION

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), or Shanghai Pact,is a Eurasian political, economic, and security alliance, the creation of which was announced on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai, China by the leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan;

The Heads of State Council (HSC) is the supreme decision-making body in the SCO, it meets once a year and adopts decisions and guidelines on all important matters of the organisation.

Military exercises among members are also regularly conducted to promote coordination against terrorism, and to maintain regional peace and stability.

The original six nations, with the exception of Uzbekistan, were previously members of the Shanghai Five group, founded on 26 April 1996.

The Shanghai Five grouping was created 26 April 1996 with the signing of the Treaty on Deepening Military Trust in Border Regions in Shanghai, China by the heads of states of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan.

India and Pakistan joined SCO as full members on 9 June 2017 at a summit in Astana, Kazakhstan.

PERMANENT MEMBERS:

China

India

Kazakhstan

Kyrgyzstan

Pakistan

Russia

Tajikistan

Uzbekistan

The SCO is often dubbed as the “alliance of Asia“, due to its growing centrality in the Asian continent, and has been the primary security pillar of the region.

Being the World’s forefront regional organisation in economic power and political influence, and one of the world’s strongest military alliances.